Money Management

Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — January 2017

As a new month begins it’s time again for what is quickly becoming one of my favorite features: a look at my top 10 personal finance articles of the month. Once again this month features new posts from some familiar bloggers as well as a few new ones. This edition also introduces some new sections that will rotate in and out going forward.

Without further ado, below is my list of the top 10 personal finance articles published in January of 2017, along with their title, author, and the site they originally appeared on.

Saving Money

6 Ways to Tweak Your Budget This Year — Miranda Marquit, MoneyNing

Even the best-made budgets have room for improvement. Additionally there are likely ways you could be saving more money that you may have neglected to consider. As Miranda points out, it’s not too late in the year to start boosting your budget with these helpful suggestions.

Airport Lounge Access Is Sweet, Sweet Luxury – But Can It Save You Money, Too? — Holly Johnson, The Simple Dollar

Admittedly airport lounges probably aren’t the type of thing that come to mind when you think about frugal living. After all such perks seem to typically be reserved for the well to do such as first class flyers and other VIPs. On the other hand Holly makes a case for how these luxurious lounges could actually serve to save you money if the circumstances are right.

Wells Fargo Wants to Give You $250. Here’s What You Have to Do — Mike Brassfield, The Penny Hoarder

I don’t normally include posts like this in my roundups but, with this potentially lucrative offer still valid though the February 17th, I figured it was worth mentioning. There’s no way around that fact that Wells Fargo did not have a very pleasant 2016. To help bring in customers the bank is currently offering a $250 bonus to new account holders. In this post, Mike not only provides all of the details on the offer but also takes a closer look at Wells Fargo’s recent troubles.

Retirement Account Questions

403(b) vs 401(k) — What’s the Difference? — Jeff Rose, Good Financial Cents

While the majority of workers are likely familiar with what a 401(k) is, fewer probably know about 403(b)s. There’s good reason for that as 403(b)s tend to be limited to government employees or those working for non-profits. Still that may apply to you or someone you know and Jeff does a great job explaining the differences between these two similar items.

Is Borrowing from Your 401(k) a Smart Move? — Kyle Burbank, Lifehack

When you’re looking to pay down credit card debt or make a large purchase, one option that may come to mind is taking from your 401(k). Often times the rates for borrowing from yourself are low, making them attractive. However, as Kyle (who also happens to be a Dyer News contributor) shares from personal experience, there are some downsides to this plan that should be considered.

Financial Tools and Platform Reviews

RealtyShares Review: Crowdfunding Real Estate Investing Platform — Jim Wang, Wallet Hacks

Over the past few years peer to peer lending, crowdfunding, and other FinTech platforms have created new ways for investors to make a return. One of the newer concepts in this field involves crowdfunding real estate, which is exactly what RealityShares aims to do. To see how successful they are in that goal, be sure to check out Jim’s full review of the platform.

5 Super Savings Tools to Help You Save in 2017 — Greg Johnson, ClubThrifty

These days there is no shortage of personal finance apps and other tools to help you stay on budget and save money. Furthermore new additions seem to pop up all the time, making it harder and harder to keep up. That’s why Greg takes a look at five savings tools you might not know about but could help save you money this year and beyond.

Personal Finance Tips 

A Simple Guide to Evaluating a Credit Card with an Annual Fee — Jason Steele, Wisebread

Today it seems there are all kinds of rewards credit cards competing for your business and offering generous perks. Sadly some of the best benefits are reserved for cards that require an annual fee. As a result these cards may not be as great of an idea as they might seem at first glance. With that in mind Jason offers some tips for determining if an annual fee is ultimately worth what you get for it.

Dos and Don’ts of Refinancing Credit Card Debt — Robert Harrow, Christian Science Monitor

Credit card debt can be a beast that many have trouble finding a way to slay. One potential solution is debt consolidation, which itself comes in many different forms. If you’re considering consolidating and refinancing your existing debt, Robert provides some insight into what to do as well as what to avoid.

The First Things You Should Do After Paying Off a Big Debt — Kristin Wong, TwoCents

Conquering a major debt is an amazing feeling. That said, sometimes the celebration is short lived as people start to slip back into their old ways or fail to keep moving forward. For her piece, Kristin looks at ways to avoid these pitfalls and keep the good times rolling after paying off your debts.

Publish Your Own Book in 2017

A Step by Step Guide to Publishing Your Book — Dyer News

Have you ever considered writing and publishing your own book? Whether seeing your work in print is a bucket list item for you, you want to establish authority in a given field, or perhaps you want to try to make a little extra money on the side, we recently posted this extremely comprehensive guide that will walk you through the full process of publishing. So if publication is on your 2017 to-do list, now you know where to start. 😉

Thanks for checking out my top 10 personal finance articles published last month and congratulations to all of the bloggers who made the list. To find more of these great articles on a daily basis, be sure to follow me on Twitter @jondyer9 and of course visit DyerNews.com.

Other Articles by Jonathan Dyer